In this in-depth review of the Nikon AF-P NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E ED VR lens, we will take a close look at what this full-frame lens has to offer when used on modern Nikon DSLR cameras, go over its features and compare it to its predecessor. The Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E VR AF-P was announced in July of 2017 as a major update to the existing 70-300mm lens design, optimized for high-resolution camera bodies, and armed with the latest optical technologies. Sporting…
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Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM Review
Introduced in 1999, the Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM has long been regarded as a benchmark in Canon’s lineup in terms of image sharpness and focusing performance. At the time of its introduction, the EF 300mm f/2.8L IS replaced the very successful EF 300mm f/2.8L USM which was one of Canons best lenses. With this update, Canon gave the EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM a wholly new optical formula with one fluorite element and two UD-glass elements along with…
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IRIX 11mm f/4 Review
This is an in-depth field review of the ultra-wide full-frame Irix 11mm f/4 lens released in 2017. I have tested the more expensive and heavier Blackstone version, but since the Firefly version features an identical optical design, all conclusion made in the review hold for both versions. This glass is the widest rectilinear lens for full frame DSLR cameras. Only the Canon 11-24mm f/4L gets equally wide. Shooting with such an extremely wide lens brings a whole lot of practical…
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Recommended Nikon D7500 Settings
The Nikon D7500 is a complex camera with more than 100 menu options, and it isn’t easy to know how to set everything properly. This guide covers the most important settings and how to pick them for your own photography. Keep in mind that these are personal preferences, and you may end up setting some of them differently, but this is a good place to start. The information below should help you understand how to use the D7500 to its…
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Nikon D7500 Review
This camera works. That was my thought after testing the Nikon D7500 for two days of sub-freezing photography in Rocky Mountain National Park – only taking breaks from the cold while driving from one location to the next – in conditions that are the very definition of a field review. We’ve now been testing the D7500 at Photography Life for several weeks, but the 48 hours of intense shooting at Rocky Mountain solidified things. This DSLR packs a serious punch,…
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Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Review
This is an in-depth review of the Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens that was announced in February of 2015. Being a professional-grade wide-angle lens, the Sigma 24mm f/1.4 Art was made to challenge similar offerings from both Nikon and Canon, but at a much lower price point. Previously, Sigma had a lot of success with its Art-series lenses such as the 35mm f/1.4 Art, so it made sense that the company would continue to make similar class lenses…
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Nikon 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G DX VR AF-P Review
In this in-depth field review, we are going to have a look at the Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-P VR, the latest Nikon basic DX standard kit lens launched in September of 2016. It is an all-plastic lens featuring the newest stepping motor, which focuses faster and quieter than the traditional silent wave motor used on most standard Nikon lenses. The optical design features two aspherical elements for better sharpness and chromatic aberration control.
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Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x Review
This is an in-depth review of the Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM with a built-in 1.4x extender, a telephoto zoom lens targeted at enthusiast and professional action photographers. For many years, Canon users shooting serious wildlife and sports photography had come to accept that the only telephoto lenses on offer by Canon that achieved top of the line performance were their prime lenses. At the time, the only Canon zoom lens in the telephoto range was the Canon EF…
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Fuji XF 56mm f/1.2 R Review
This is an in-depth review of the Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R lens made for Fuji’s line of X-Series cameras. This short telephoto lens (85mm full-frame equivalent) was released in February of 2014 and quickly became known as one of the best prime portrait lenses on the market, mirrorless or otherwise. This lens is not to be confused with Fuji’s other 56mm, the XF 56mm f/1.2 R APD. The APD version incorporates a controllable apodizing filter into its design, for…
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Fuji X-H1 vs X-T2
The Fujifilm X-H1 is the top of the line camera in Fuji’s X-series line-up. But before its release, the Fuji X-T2 was arguably the most feature-rich choice and certainly a popular mirrorless cameras among many enthusiast and professional photographers. As a current or prospective X-T2 owner, or potentially as someone interested in the new Fuji X-H1, you might be wondering how it compares to the X-T2 in terms of features, ergonomics and specifications. We have put together this X-H1 and…
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Fuji XF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR Review
This is an in-depth review of Fujifilm’s XF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR Lens. The lens was released in early 2016 and is Fuji’s longest focal length lens and only super-telephoto zoom in its lens lineup at this time. At the moment, the lens holds a couple of records, being the heaviest at 1375g and the most expensive at $1899 among all Fujifilm X-mount lenses.
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Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art Review
This is an in-depth review of the Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art lens that was announced in February of 2017 along with a few other Sigma Art-series lenses. At the time of its release, Sigma proudly presented the lens as “world’s first and only full-frame f/1.8 ultra-wide-angle lens”, which was without a doubt, a remarkable achievement. Its impressive optical formula optimized for extreme sharpness and virtually no distortion got many photographers excited about all the possibilities it could present…
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Nikon 28mm f/1.4E ED Review
This is an in-depth review of the Nikon 28mm f/1.4E ED lens that was announced in May of 2017 along with two other lenses, the Nikon 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6G VR AF-P and 8-15mm f/3.5-4.5E ED Fisheye. The AF-S NIKKOR 28mm f/1.4E replaces the classic 28mm f/1.4D lens, which was known for its outstanding optical performance capable of rendering sharp and beautiful images on both full-frame and cropped sensor cameras. With the updated 28mm f/1.4E, Nikon completely revamped its optical formula and…
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Nikon 28mm f/1.8G Review
This is an in-depth review of the Nikon 28mm f/1.8G lens that was announced in April of 2012 together with the Nikon D3200 DSLR. After releasing a number of great and affordable primes such as the Nikon 50mm f/1.8G and the 85mm f/1.8G (both of which turned out to be phenomenal), Nikon rolled out the 28mm f/1.8G lens to target photographers who are looking for a fast, inexpensive and lightweight wide-angle prime lens that can be suitable for a variety…
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Nikon 24mm f/1.8G ED Review
Ever since Nikon debuted the 24mm f/1.4G ED lens five years ago, the lens has been a popular choice among professionals and serious amateurs, thanks to its excellent optical formula and coating technologies that yield crisp and pleasing images. However, its high price point and the relatively heavy weight made it a rather specialized tool, so a cheaper and lighter f/1.8 version of the lens was much needed to complement the 20mm f/1.8G and the 28mm f/1.8G lenses. Nikon filled…
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Nikon 24mm f/1.4G ED Review
This is an in-depth review of the Nikon 24mm f/1.4G ED lens that was announced in February of 2010 together with the Nikon 16-35mm f/4G VR lens. The Nikon 24mm f/1.4G lens is a professional-grade lens for enthusiasts and professionals that need the highest quality optics of a fixed wide-angle lens with a large aperture of f/1.4 for low-light situations and shallow depth of field to isolate subjects from the background. The lens incorporates modern optical design and technology, and…
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Nikon 20mm f/1.8G ED Review
It has been 30 years since Nikon first introduced the original Nikkor 20mm f/2.8 Ai-S lens and long 20 years since the autofocus version, the Nikkor 20mm f/2.8D was released to the market. Since then, the 20mm prime sadly did not receive much attention, so it was about time for Nikon to refresh the line with a modern version. Nikon finally revealed a replacement on September 12, 2014 and the new lens came with a nice surprise – the Nikkor…
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Is Fuji X-T2 and XF 100-400mm Ready for Bird Photography?
When I decided to sell my professional Nikon cameras and glass and make the switch to Fujifilm, the question I had was “will I still be able to photograph birds?” During spring migration last year, I was fortunate enough to be able to get a hold of the Fujifilm XF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR lens. In this article, I will let you know how the X-T2 and XF 100-400mm combo stacked up for bird photography.
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Concerns with Quality of Fujifilm GF Lenses
Thanks to the recent Fujifilm rebates, I have been able to expand my lens line-up for the Fuji GFX 50S that I have had the pleasure of shooting with ever since it came out. I am very impressed by the Fuji medium format system, especially its lens line-up, and I consider it to be ahead of its competition in a number of ways, as highlighted in my review. However, having gone through multiple lens samples of different lenses (which I…
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What is Gray Market Camera Gear?
Purchasing camera gear can be a frustrating experience. Camera companies and big outlets highlight the importance of buying from authorized channels due to service, support and warranty issues, whereas many Internet-based websites and some small photography shops offer gray market products at very appealing prices, sometimes with significant enough discounts to make photographers seriously consider them. And then there are regional pricing differences. When a product is launched, manufacturers point out product’s MSRP, which can vary greatly between different markets.…
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